The Other Side Of The Linkway
by Zombie Kitty
Summary: Just a one shot from Holo Lister's POV about loosing Kochanksi, then a conversation with him & Cat in 3rd person.


**Disclaimer:** This is now owned by Red Dwarf/Grant Naylor and I don't own them either 0 If I had a choice I would so own Danny though!

Well it's not great but here is a one shot! The first part is from the Hologram Lister's POV and the second part when he chats with Cat is in third person (Obviously) It is very soppy, very crap and I am currently flame proofing my house

* * *

**The Other Side Of The Linkway**

I lay on my bunk, my eyes open but unfocusing. Nothing seems to matter; not now I've lost her. I can still hear the voices ringing round in my head, when the other version of me called out, yelling something about the envitrotube, next thing we know those GELF's are back and have attacked the link way. I try to get her but she falls at their side again and there is nothing I can do.

I felt so desperate, but I knew she was safe… Then she jumped I could barely believe my eyes, it was like watching a plane crash in slow motion as I watched her fall into none space right in front of me.

I felt Kryten and Cat pulling me back, keeping a hold of me to stop me jumping after her. I watched in panic as the other crew rush off to get some rope or something… Then the link way at our side collapsed completely and they dragged me back to Starbug.

It's been 2 days now and I still don't know what's happened to her. Though I don't need to, I've slept most of the time, the screams haunting me… but it's better than been awake, trying to live without her being around…

This is even worse than when I woke up in the Medi-Bay after catching the Holo-Virus, and been told I nearly killed her and Cat, and had short circuited Kryten to within an inch of his warranty…

I could never see her again, someone who made us all better people in both maturity and our characters, I became a more mature and sensible person and when I got the hard light body I learnt the guitar again – properly, and Kryten broke his programming to experience life more humanly – Within reason of course. Cat on the other hand learnt nobility and caring for others as well as keeping his fashion sense.

I met the other Dave's crew, his Cat was just selfish, shallow and vain, whilst Kryten was highly unstable and quirky, I wonder if we would have turned out like that without Krissy to guide us… Maybe it was just because they had Rimmer as a hologram.

I never thought he'd have been present in another universe… I can barely even remember him now; I can barely remember any of them… I'm scared that's what will happen with Kris if I never get her back.

I've read about it, people forget their face's and little habits, like how she smiles in that knowing way, and how she's so competitive at charades… and how she bites her lip when she's nervous and goes mental when the hot water goes and she can't have a bath.

If I just knew she was ok I could live with all that though – Even if I did never see her again… Kryten said if she was still alive they would try and establish the link way, so therefore we must stay in this vector and try as well...

I don't know how successful it will be but he's right – We've got to try…

…I can here someone at the door now – It'll be Kryten trying to therapies me with that whale tape again, Cat's stayed away mostly, I guess he's too busy… Or is just avoiding me…

* * *

Dave looked up as Cat entered shyly, holding something in his hand.

"Hey…" The feline muttered as he sat down opposite Dave on the spare bed.

"What's that?" Dave muttered back, nodding at Cat's hand.

"Oh, Kryten found some new codes he wants to try, he said using binary language would speed the process up so he sent me here as your… therapist."

"Think he'll give this whale music thing up? It's not really helping." Dave sighed as he hugged one of his pillows and sat up.

"I hope so; it's doing my head in from the other side of the ship!" Cat replied with feeling as he abandoned the tape onto the floor.

"I wonder why they think whale music is calming… All it seems to do is make you more bored." Dave decided as he tried to become used to making small talk again.

"Maybe that meant the same thing to the professors who released the record?" Cat answered back as he began to pick nervously at his fingernails.

"You can go if you want, I'm not exactly a social person at the minute, and it's ok that you've been avoiding me." Dave said sadly as he watched Cat fight his discomfort.

"Look, I just… don't know what to say to you bud..." He admitted shaking his head slightly.

"I don't know what to say either, it's just amazing how much she changed our lives from those other versions of us… and how now she's gone I just feel so helpless…" Dave trailed off as he hugged the pillow tighter.

"That seemed ok to me…" Cat smiled softly as he stood up and moved towards the door. "Dave…" He said as an after thought.

"Hmmm?"

"Nothing…"

"What?"

"I didn't avoid you, just because I knew nothing to say to comfort you, it doesn't mean I didn't support you…"

"What do you mean?" Dave asked in a puzzled way as he stood up and walked over to Cat.

"When you were asleep I always worked at that terminal over there." Cat whispered, nodding to the other side of the room. "Then when you began to wake, I would slip out unnoticed."

"You could have stayed."

"SHOULD have stayed." Cat corrected firmly. "Look, I just have no idea how you're feeling, I've never gone through grief before, and now I am… It's so weird and hard to describe, she was my friend but you and her knew each other on a whole new level – One which I will never understand, And I guess I thought you wanted to be on your own."

"Until you came in a few minutes ago I thought I did… It's not good to be alone with your thoughts sometimes –Your memories eat away at you."

"I know… Ever since it happened you've been having nightmares, you talk in your sleep…" Cat admitted, running a hand through his hair.

"Oh god." Was all Dave could say in response to this revelation. "You remember anything I said?" He asked after a moment, thinking of the way the events recurred in his mind and the things he shouted that he had never had the chance to before.

"Remember what?" Cat replied, feigning innocence.

Dave smiled but then sat down on the bunk again, tears forming in his eyes. Cat paused for a moment before tentatively sitting behind them – Just because they were more mature it didn't mean they were good at showing feelings.

"I miss her so much." Dave sobbed, leaning his head on Cat's shoulder. Cat stiffened for a moment before reaching his arm round to hug his friend.

"I know, you've just gotta be strong bud… and try not to drip tears onto this outfit."

Dave let out a breathy laugh in between a sob as he sat up again. "You're a true friend, you know that?"

"Well I do now… But to be honest I'm kind of glad she's gone – It means we won't get hurt when she looses at charades." Cat smiled, then looked worried but was glad to see Dave wasn't upset by his remark.

"She was kind of bossy and competitive… Better than turning out like those other us though." Dave mused sadly.

"True… The other Cat told me about all these games they played just to waste time, whereas I was learning how to read, write and understand astrophysics…" Cat trailed off and thought for a moment.

"You don't regret that?"

"No! Not at all, I mean you two are like the reason I exist… I just sometimes think I had more fun before I met you… Except the fact I was all alone." Cat added sadly.

"I don't know what it's like to be alone, not really. There was always my foster family and then my grandma, and all these people who tried to help me… I just pushed them away, you didn't even have anyone to avoid and ignore."

"It wasn't too bad – No queues at the shop checkouts!" Cat quipped. Dave sighed again and looked at Cat, who looked back and the two then hugged again in that uncomfortable way guys do.

"Is it me or did this conversation just get really soppy?" Cat asked nervously as they stood apart again.

"It got soppy."

"Thought so… You wanna try out a few of those games the other us invented? To pass the time while we wait for news?" Cat suggested as he walked over and picked up the whale music CD.

"Like what?" Dave asked as he moved towards the door.

"Well there's those old unicycles of mine and we can stretch out some of Krissy's old tights and play unicycle volley ball?" He shrugged as he dumped the CD in a bin.

"She would go spare if she knew!" Dave laughed softly in response as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Not as much as if she knew I ate the last tin of cottage cheese with pineapple chunks!" Cat retorted as the two friends left the quarters to get on with the rest of their lives...

**The End**  



End file.
